Dive Brief:
- NRG Energy, the biggest competitive power company in the U.S., is restructuring its business into three segments: NRG Business, NRG Renew and NRG Home.
- NRG Business will be comprised of the company's fossil generating assets in wholesale markets, NRG Renew will be comprised of the company's utility-scale renewables projects, and NRG Home will be comprised of the company's retail electricity arm and its rooftop solar, home energy management and electric vehicle charging businesses.
- The company is now seeking an executive to lead its new $6 billion NRG Home unit and has opted to try and crowdsource the best candidate, with an up to $100,000 prize going to the winning referral.
Dive Insight:
NRG has turned to the wisdom of the crowds for its latest venture. Its new home energy unit is "looking for the leader who can harness the power of disruptive technology," according to a statement, and is passionate about climate change.
NRG claims to be the first company to crowdsource an executive job search, but it's not an approach without precedent. For example, the Sacramento Kings, a professional basketball team, recently tried to crowdsource what the franchise should do with the eight overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
No word yet on whether NRG was simply out of bright ideas or if crowdsourcing an executive job search is actually a bright idea.
